Promised (Reluctant) Victory In Remnant

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.

I'm also occasionally chilling in JaxWolf4's (Author of Nah, I'd Adapt and Zenin Days) Discord Server. It's a chaotic lobotomy mess. Not for the faint of heart.

Here's the link:

Disc: HrPrTeam

(Special thanks to Anti-Storm for the Beta Reading Labor!)

-Story Start-

"...So sudden." Weiss's bewildered and suspicious words rang aloud in the tense dorm room.

The girls' attention was transfixed particularly on the moody Alex and the sword he reverently held.

Something was definitely wrong with him.

...

Something was wrong with them as well.

Badump.

Badump.

Badump.

Collectively, as if on cue, the girls' heartbeats accelerated.

An instinctual, almost prideful swell in their chest grew.

They didn't know exactly what that feeling was nor why they were feeling it.

But they understood what caused it:

"Ex-calibur?" Ruby repeated with a tight chest and a wide-eyed look.

Like drums, their heartbeat accelerated as that Name had an image; a sacred image held by the man in front of them.

A sword of unparalleled beauty - that was all it was credited to.

That was... until they heard the name.

Excalibur.

[Finally, you understand its splendor... perhaps your punishment had been more fruitful than I had calculated.]

That name combined with the direct view of the object itself, triggered something...

Primal.

Spiritual.

Glory?

It's not just a pretty sword, anymore.

Ruby, Pyrrha, and Weiss weren't really capable of reacting, stunned at the emotion coursing through them, Alex's concerned attitude shift only added salt to injury.

And it was his voice that brought them out of their temporary mesmerization.

His dull voice rang out, a clear impatience lacing his tone as it sliced through the silence, "Yes, that is its name... I'll be off to the Dining Hall, I'm starving."

Turning around, he began taking steady steps towards the door, Excalibur still tightly held in his hand as his monstrous aura was on the loose.

A crack echoed as he took a single step.

He lowered his head to notice he had cracked the floor, "My bad, I've gotten used to sturdier ground." He lowered the output at that strange admission and continued his walk.

...

"WAITTTTT!" Ruby's roared out as she used her semblance to appear in front of the door and absentminded Alex.

She took a good look at his face, wincing at his impatient frown and exhausted look.

His monstrous aura, albeit subdued was not sealed, she wasn't really used to having many conversations while he had... Excalibur at his side.

He was looking rather menacing, but Ruby stood her ground as she frowned herself, "Talk to us! Now! Why head out to eat when you had dinner a few hours ago? Why are you suddenly acting like... I don't even know what to call it!" She chastised him with visible frustration.

"I mean... one second you smile so sadly at me, saying you're going somewhere then a second later you get angry and flip moods faster than Weiss!" She pointed at Weiss in dismay.

Weiss was about to retort but held her tongue given the situation.

Pyrrha, who had been mostly silent approached and similarly took a good look at Alex's face, frowning deeply herself, "Is it because of Blake?"

That got a reaction.

A momentary snarl formed on Alex's face, only a moment later to be replaced by him sighing, and stating rather bitterly, "Not... exactly."

Ruby prodded, "What did she say to you? I don't think you're the type to get your feelings hurt... I think?" She hazarded a guess.

Weiss huffed, "I can't imagine what she'd say to bother Alex this much, to be frank, I'm not all too friendly with her."

Chuckling, Ruby waved her off, "We know, you two hate each other."

Pyrrha offered, "She dislikes Alex as well, right? She's been glaring at you for the longest time, though I haven't really heard an actual conversation between the two of you."

...

Alex put a stop to all the theorizing and resolved to quickly answer all their questions.

Turning around, he regarded them all with a serious expression.

His grip on Excalibur's hilt tightened and his voice a subdued fury and exhaustion, "Would you three honestly believe me if I were to tell you?"

[What are you...]

[I hope you choose your words carefully, the repercussions for revealing the System aren't light.]

'Try me.'

[A peculiar arrogance for one at the mercy of Excalibur and Avalon.]

Blinking, the three girls exchanged suspicious looks and nodded firmly.

As if they've been preparing for this day.

As if they've already talked about Alex hiding something, and being so closed off.

Certainly, now, in a rather strange way, he had decided to open up to them.

Surely, it wouldn't be anything too ridiculous?

Right?

Alex breathed out, the pained, weary, and furious look in his eyes sending shivers down the girls' spines as he spoke.

"For that split second in which I gave my goodbye, time was frozen in Remnant and I was sent into the realm where souls are tortured out of their sins. Fighting in a place where I can't even die, trying to keep myself sane... for a month."

...

He added as they processed that outlandish statement, "I would tell you more, but frankly you'll have to believe this first before I give you the rest..."

[One wrong word, and you'll be in trouble. I recommend you stop this here, it is counterproductive for me if you are punished with Eternal Damnation.]

Alex, once again, ignored the blasted thing whispering in his mind.

Pyrrha was the first to speak her mind, sweat trickling down her face, disbelief in her tone, "Is it that 'God' who is forcing you to be here?"

Blinking, Alex nodded, "Yes."

"That... wasn't a joke?" She repeated although she suspected some truth to his statement.

Like being forced to enroll here and become a Huntsman.

"A 'God' is still a bit... much." Weiss voiced out her opinion, as she stroked her chin.

Alex could only shrug, "It's the truth, and what happened. Take it or leave it, so can you please move asi-" Alex gestured for Ruby to step away so he could fill his empty stomach.

Only for her darkened features to look up at Alex sharply.

Silver eyes met Amber once more with a questioning glint, "Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why did all that happen?"

He spat out with unconcealed venom, "Because I was punished."

"By the 'God'?" Weiss inquired.

He nodded in response.

"Punished for what?" Pyrrha asked with a concerning glint in her eye.

Alex frowned, as he chose his words carefully, "For not helping Blake in her... issues."

All their eyes lit up in realization, as Weiss whispered aloud, "So your proactiveness with her was..."

"A result of me needing to help her, yes," Alex confirmed.

...

Ruby mumbled a protest escaping her lips, "But you did help her!"

"I barely did anything, I also had to encourage her. I tried, but she was being... a bitch about it."

He had a lot more decorative words in his limited vocabulary to describe Blake, but his main loathing target is the parasite who torments him.

The girls grew silent as they tried to process the bizarre and quite frankly delusional confession Alex was giving them.

Yet, as outlandish as it sounded...

It was making sense.

What else but a 'God' could force The Strongest Alex Andrite to do anything?

Ruby seemed to piece together a theory, as she lifted her head to inquire, "So this 'God' gives you strict tasks to complete, whether you like them or not. And if you don't do them you get punished?"

She frowned deeply, "Though, getting sent to fight tooth and nail for an entire month for not encouraging a girl is a bit...evil."

"Disgusting."

"Cruel."

The girls voiced their opinions.

Alex nodded with a surprised yet vindictive smile, "That's right."

It seems, even having dug this far, the 'trigger' for getting punished by his debuff had yet to arrive.

[...]

Pyrrha had her own theory, as she pointed at him, "The question lay in who is this 'God'. And why you specifically?"

Weiss stated neutrally with a wave of her hand, "Isn't it obvious? It's because of his freakish strength... if any sort of deity were to pick any of us 'simple mortals', obviously they'd want the strongest to obey them." Her complimenting of Alex's strength wasn't flattery, but a statement of fact.

Alex could only blink with growing surprise.

In all honesty, he was not expecting them to actually figure out the System or more importantly believe him.

All that with no punishment.

...

But do they believe him?

Weiss's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, "We've been going with the flow of your alleged situation, Alex. And while a lot of it makes sense considering how you've been acting as a Teammate and friend in this Academy..."

She folded her arms and mentioned with clear skepticism but made sure to soften her words, "But you do realize this all sounds so ridiculous? Beyond the term itself, even."

"Let alone the involvement of a 'God'... not encouraging a girl gets you sent to some other dimension to be punished and tortured while Time is stopped for everyone here?"

She admitted with all the niceness she could muster, "I'm your teammate and I do believe you are under some kind of oppression... I would know. I just can't accept all of this without any concrete proof." She tilted her head with a sad smile.

...

Proof.

Honestly, Alex couldn't fault them for seeking it.

Indeed, what he had claimed to have happened to him and is happening is so outlandish and world-view shattering it might as well have been spoken by an Alien.

'How can I prove I have the System without triggering the debuff? They've got the gist of it...' Alex contemplated with a sigh, turning to look at Pyrrha and Ruby, expecting similar reactions.

The two of them regarded Alex with awkward, skeptical, and searching looks.

It's not about whether they believed he was lying or not.

It's whether they were ready to have their worldview shattered like glass.

...

"I can't prove it to you, because proving it isn't allowed."

[Well said.]

"Not yet, anyway."

[...]

Ruby shook her head, smiling sadly, "It's been hard for you, hasn't it?"

"You're believing him without proof?" Weiss arched an eyebrow.

Pyrrha shot her a chastising look, "Do you not see the look in his eye and what just happened? I can't chalk it up to anything but... excuse my terminology, insanity, or some kind of... I have no clue."

She shook her head, "But that's the look of a tired, veteran huntsman. He never had such a look." Pyrrha spoke in favor, uncertain as to how to process this.

"Whatever the case, Alex is suffering... so if 'God' gives you any orders, inform us, okay? We'll help as best we can." Pyrrha smiled brightly.

Ruby cheered, "Yup! Rely on us, your team! If you need tips on encouragement if something that stupid pops up again, we've got you covered!"

Stroking her chin, Ruby hummed, "Though you were pretty good when I needed encouragement..."

Weiss approached and placed an encouraging pat on Alex's shoulder, "Don't take my skepticism too personally. If that 'God' or whatever product of your mind gives you an order, I'll undoubtedly offer my assistance."

Huffing with gratitude, he nodded appreciatively to all of them, "Thanks. That's more than I can ask for." He genuinely thanked them all.

This talk had been far more fruitful than he had ever imagined it to be.

...

He was thankful Ruby stopped him from getting food.

But now?

He warned, his gaze sharp and starved like a lion, "Seriously, stand aside I really need to go."

Ruby wasn't threatened, the gloomy, scary, and sad aura Alex had almost dissipated into thin air... mostly.

She tilted her head, "The Dining Hall is closed, though?"

Lifting her by her cape, as if lifting a cat, Alex moved Ruby aside without trouble with his left hand.

"I'll figure something out, I'm heading there anyway." He tried opening the door.

...

It wasn't opening.

"You have to use your scroll," Weiss mentioned.

He blinked, checking his pockets.

...

He lost it.

"I lost it."

"You usually leave it on your bed." Ruby skipped to his bed and jumped to grab his scroll.

Skipping back to him, she handed him the scroll, "Thank you." He nodded as he opened the door, Excalibur still tightly gripped in his hand.

"Are you not going to dismiss... Excalibur?" Pyrrha inquired lightly.

Their hearts began to pound once more.

"No."

"Also, I forgot where the Dining Hall is." He admitted nonchalantly.

Concerned looks passed by the three girls, as they unanimously decided to guide Alex to the Dining Hall in the middle of the night.

To Be Continued!

-Author Note Start-

Pretty heavy chapter in terms of dialogue, so ending it off here is a good idea.

Alex is now a (Alleged) schizo.

Understandable, they'll gradually understand his situation, but for now TEAM RAWP are FULLY ACCEPTING THEIR SCHIZO TEAMMATE AND WILLING TO HELP HIM!

Which is a concerning thing given their schizo teammate can get a schizo attack and just accidentally chop their heads off.

Yikes.

Anyway, the bomb has been (mostly but not entirely) dropped.

All that's left is for the gradual understanding and whatnot

XD

Bu bye!

Love ya!

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Here's the link:

patre0n.com/BurgerNoTomatoes